South Africa tells UN’s top court Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

As a sign of how seriously they regard the case, Israeli leaders have taken the rare step of engaging with the court to defend their international reputation

Judges preside over the opening of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands (Picture: Patrick Post/AP)

South Africa has formally accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians and pleaded with the United Nations’ top court to order an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has vehemently denied the allegations.